Method of monitoring CO concentrations in hydrogen feed to a PEM fuel cell
US6063516A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 24, 1997 |
| Grant date | May 16, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 24, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02E60/50
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
The CO concentration in the H.sub.2 feed stream to a PEM fuel cell stack is monitored by measuring current and/or voltage behavior patterns from a PEM-probe communicating with the reformate feed stream. Pattern recognition software may be used to compare the current and voltage patterns from the PEM-probe to current and voltage telltale outputs determined from a reference cell similar to the PEM-probe and operated under controlled conditions over a wide range of CO concentrations in the H.sub.2 fuel stream. The PEM-probe is intermittently purged of any CO build-up on the anode catalyst (e.g., by (1) flushing the anode with air, (2) short circuiting the PEM-probe, or (3) reverse biasing the PEM-probe) to keep the PEM-probe at peak performance levels.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.